Due to the perils of ladder use in industrial settings and the general inconvenience of maintenance of pole-mounted items, industrial poles (e.g., lighting poles) have been developed that have upper and lower pole sections arranged to be connected by a joint, such as a swivelling or pivot joint, a hinged joint, or a telescoping joint. The principle is that these joints permit a user to lower the remote (e.g., top) end of the pole using the joint. For example, moving the top end to a level closer to the pole base may facilitate changing light bulbs or performing other maintenance.
In the case of a swivelling or pivot joint, the upper pole section is attached to the joint such that upper pole section rotates about an axis of rotation relative to the bottom end of the upper pole section. The axis of rotation is not parallel with the longitudinal axis of the pole. Instead, the swivelling or pivot joint is mounted with the axis of rotation at an acute angle to both the upper and lower sections. In this way the nominal top end of the upper pole section travels downward in an arc corresponding to the rotational motion of the swivelling or pivot joint. The system including the joint and the coupled upper and lower sections of the pole may be called a pivoting pole assembly, swivelling pole assembly, etc.
In the case of a hinged joint, the upper pole section is arranged relative to the lower pole section such that it can rotate about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pole.
In the case of a telescoping joint, the upper pole section is arranged to be moveable in an axial direction relative to the lower pole section, with one of the upper and lower pole sections having a smaller diameter than the other.
Some known systems also have a passage interior to the pole extending from the base end, through the joint, to the remote end, and wiring (wires, cables, etc.) running through the passage to the mounted item to provide power, communications, and so on. This wiring can be subject to damage due to environmental conditions, particularly where the joint permits ingress of water.
The present invention seeks to provide a means of protecting internal wiring within a lowerable pole.